Gillingham defender Callum Davies is hoping a solid performance against Ebbsfleet on Saturday will help him secure a first team spot.

The nineteen year old central defender played the whole ninety minutes as Gillingham beat Ebbsfleet United 3-2 at Stonebridge Road and looked assured alongside trialist Bernard Onanga Itoua.

Having made his debut for The Gills against Crewe Alexandra in November 2010, a debut that lasted just 28 minutes after he was sent off, Davies has gone on to make three substitute appearances for the club and his hoping this season could be his chance to break into the first team on a regular basis:

He said: “Hopefully I can make a name for myself, get in the team and see what happens. I may have not played that much but I feel I have got a bit of experience so hopefully this year is my year and I have done myself justice.”

“I did a bit before pre-season and I still wasn’t as fit as some of the other players in comparison so hopefully I can get match fit and be a bit sharper but during pre-season – you’ve just got to get your head down.”

“I was in the gym a lot and went away with Connor Essam – we got back and were straight away running together.”

“I’ve played with Connor for the last five or six years so hopefully I can aspire to do what he has done. We have a good bunch of players and it’s a good team – we all get on well and there is good banter.”

Fans at Ebbsfleet United will have seen the Gillingham side keen to keep the ball on the deck and play some neat passing football and for Davies, that suits his game:

He said: “In the first half we started very brightly and since we got back in to pre-season the manager has been banging out about passing and moving the ball and that all came together.”

“It was an all-round good performance, especially in the first half. It’s nice to get the ball down and play it around. That suits me and I prefer it – in the second half we were getting a bit tired but its pre-season and it’s about getting minutes in the tank.”

Davies will most likely sit in the stands at Dover Athletic on Tuesday night as Gillingham shuffle the pack to give the likes of Essam the chance to impress.